IMF Lowers Forecast for Growth
Of World Economy to 2.2% in 1999

WASHINGTON -- The International Monetary Fund again marked down its already gloomy forecast for world economic growth for 1999, and warned of several risks that could make things much worse.

The IMF said it expects the world economy will expand just 2.2% next year, adjusted for inflation, down from the 2.5% prediction it made in October. That would make 1999 the slowest year for global growth since 1991. The IMF has revised its 1999 world growth estimates downward four times since October 1997.